A daily dose of my obsessive thoughts on film, music, TV, and everything in between

cinema

dir. Jean-Luc Godard (1960) scr. Jean-Luc Godard based on a story by Francois Truffaut cin. Raoul Coutard with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg

In 100 words: Released in 1960 and forever changing the face of cinema, Breathless embodies the spirit of the French New Wave by essentially chucking the rigid rules of old movies out the window and playfully experimenting with form. The film was shot with a realistic vibe that approximated documentaries, invented new ways of shooting and cutting films, and created a sound that mixed colorful selections of jazz and Parisian street noise. But most importantly, Breathless effortlessly bridges the old and the new: it is a lovely homage to the films of yesteryear while it simultaneously points the direction for the medium’s future.

Other Films for Context: Godard is arguably the most famous and most important director of the French New Wave, making a lot of movies during the decade that influenced countless directors since. My favorite from the ones I’ve seen of his is Vivre sa vie (1962), a gorgeously shot and easy to follow movie. Other films of his I’ve seen include the overrated Contempt (1963) and the interesting Alphaville (1965). Towards the end of the decade, his works have started becoming more political and experimental to the point of being obnoxious–Weekend (1967) is a prime example of this turn.

In 100 words: The definitive portrayal of racism in America, Lee’s angry and raw film takes place on the hottest day of the year, and it shows. Characters simmer with resentment as tempers flare with the temperature, culminating in spectacularly shot, choreographed, and edited chaos. The film’s incredible mixtape of protest rap songs and sensuous R&B grooves sets the tone for the film’s rage and grief, while Lee’s muscular direction and singular style inject tension and urgency within its humor-filled script that miraculously never lapses into didactic polemics. Its relevance today proves the film’s prescience, as much as it shows America’s depressing state.

Other Movies for Context: Spike Lee has a distinctive filmography that’s worth checking out. My favorite other than this is Malcolm X (1992), his ambitious autobiography of the civil rights leader. The early 1990s also saw movies about contemporary African American issues released; most of them owe a lot to Lee’s influence. John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood (1991) and Allen and Albert Hughes’ Menace II Society (1993) are both worth watching from the ones I’ve seen.

Long ago, I’ve been obsessed with making lists and memorizing them, whether it be knowing the capitals of every country in the world in first grade, or the name of every damn Best Picture Oscar winner in high school, I was nutty for lists. I don’t know why it is. I just love a good list. In my recent turn as a cinephile, I’ve come to appreciate a great many bloggers, film critics and historians, and artists, mostly by coming across their lists for greatest films ever. These lists have become my source for what films to go see in my annual movie list. Lists like the Sight and Sound Top 250 or the 1001 Movies You Need to See Before You Die or the AFI Top 100 American films are just the basic bread and butter of all beginner cinephiles, I think. But sprinkle in there lists by specific bloggers, like my personal favorites Nathaniel Rogers and Nick Davis, professional film critics I admire, like Guy Lodge or Mike d’Angelo and of course Roger Ebert, and then by random searches for Greatest (Insert region) films ever, and you get a wide range of films that will take years to find and tackle. So what’s a cinephile to do? Well start digging in.

This year, I’ve reached a personal milestone: I’ve watched 1,500 movies in my lifetime (according to my handy dandy letterboxd). A small fraction compared to my favorite people’s film count, but an accomplishment to myself nevertheless. And back when I was still reading through all of these Greatest-film lists and dreaming of just watching all these films, I’ve long made a promise to myself that I will make my own Greatest Movie List and put it out there.

Here’s the list of movies that I plan on watching by the end of the year. I also give some justification for why I chose these movies. Over the year, I’ll update this list to reflect my progress.

The movies I curated here were based on a lot of lists I’ve read about the best films of a country or best films according to Sight and Sound poll in 2012. A lot of the movies are also admittedly movies that I’m curious to watch even if they’re not on this list. My hope is that by the end of the year, I have a greater sense to create my dream list of what I think are the best movies ever.

3 Women, Robert Altman (1978) — After watching Nashville and Gosford Park, I’m definitely a big fan of Altman’s work. Its story’s closeness to Bergman’s Persona made me even more curious.

4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, Cristian Mungiu (2007) — Palme d’Or winner and acclaim that I’ve been reading about since its release made me want to watch this movie for a while now.

42nd Street, Lloyd Bacon (1933) — A Busby Berkeley choreographed musical? It’s about time I see one given my love for the genre! It’s a great counterpoint to Singin’ in the Rain too.

45 Years, Andrew Haigh (2015) — Best Actress nominee for 2015. Affection for Haigh after Weekend and Looking.

A Man Escaped, Robert Bresson (1956) — I wasn’t quite as moved as I was after watching Au Hasard Balthazar, but I admire Bresson’s austere approach to filmmaking. Cited quite often as one of his best movies, definitely made me want to watch it.

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, Rainier Werner Fassbinder (1974) — My introduction to Fassbinder! Plus, anything that resembles/homages Sirk’s All that Heaven Allows is a must-watch for this uber-fan of that film.

All that Jazz, Bob Fosse (1979) — Cabaret is perfection, but I heard this is his masterpiece.

Amarcord, Federico Fellini (1973) — I was a fan of 8 1/2 and Fellini is such a towering figure, I have to watch this film.

Anak Dalita, Lamberto Avellana (1956) — Frequently cited as the finest Filipino film, the challenge will be to watch it in higher quality that what’s available currently.

Antonio das Mortes, Glauber Rocha (1969) — Rocha is significant figure in the Third Cinema and Brazil’s film history. I heard this is his masterpiece a lot of times.

Aparajito, Satyajit Ray (1957) — The second of the Apu trilogy, this follows the legendary (and one of the best films ever) Pather Panchali, made this absolutely vital. Rare Indian cinema that meshes with my sensibility.

Apart from You, Mikio Naruse (1933) — He’s often cited as one of the unheralded geniuses of Japanese cinema. This is his earlier classic and it’s available on Hulu!

The Apartment, Billy Wilder (1960) — A Best Picture winner, one of Wilder’s most popular movies, and Shirley Maclaine: Vital cinema to me.

Army, Keisuke Kinoshita (1944) — Japanese war propaganda made by a very famous director contemporary of Kurosawa, Ozu, and Mizoguchi.

Army of Shadows, Jean-Pierre Melville (1969) — The “rediscovery” of the movie in the late 2000s made me curious about what the fuss is all about.

Au Revoir les Enfants, Louis Malle (1987) — High regard for the movie and the director among movie critics I admire made me curious.

An Autumn Afternoon, Yasujiro Ozu (1962) — I’m an Ozu fan and this was his last film ever.

Birth, Jonathan Glazer (2004) — Trusted film critics/bloggers say this is Nicole Kidman’s best performance. I’m living to see that long close up of her face in the opera in context.

The Bitter Tears of Petra Kant, Rainier Werner Fassbinder (1972) — Strong fascination with Fassbinder and I need an intro his filmography. This is often cited as a must-see.

Black God, White Devil, Glauber Rocha (1964) — Rocha’s international debut (?). Also a seminal film in the Third Cinema and Brazilian film.

Blade Runner, Ridley Scott (1982) — I’m a fan of Scott’s films, including Aliens, Gladiator, and The Martian. This film is considered a sci-fi must-see.

Blowup, Michaelangelo Antonioni (1966) — I didn’t really get into L’Avventura and I’m hoping this film convinces me to rewatch it.

Boat People, Ann Hui (1983) — I’m fascinated by films from a nonwestern perspective about the Vietnam refugee history post-war. A female perspective at that.

Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice, Paul Mazursky (1969) — My favorite blogger, Nathaniel Rogers, consider this an underrated gem. I’d like to see it myself.

Branded to Kill, Seijun Suzuki (1967) — I missed out on a Freer Gallery screening but I’m always up for a Japanese Yakuza film. I heard he’s quite an uncommon genre filmmaker.

Brazil, Terry Gilliam (1985) — Often mentioned for its brazen style and unconventional story, it’s been in my bubble for a while. It’s time I watch it.

Breaking the Waves, Lars von Trier (1996) — I’m often floored by what von Trier shows onscreen regardless of how good/bad it is. Dancer in the Dark is my fave, with Dogville coming in close second. This is his first international success, I think.

Brief Encounter, David Lean (1945) — I’m a sucker for doomed romances, but this film inspired Haynes’ Carol and I loved that movie. I liked the Lean movies I’ve seen.

Bring It On, Peyton Reed (2000) — I loved this movie but for some reason I can’t remember crucial details. Looking forward to watching it again.

Bringing Up Baby, Howard Hawks (1938) — His Girl Friday is genius, and Cary Grant + Kate Hepburn is a perfect match to me. Love the screwball plot as well.

Bull Durham, Ron Shelton (1988) — People say this is Susan Sarandon’s best performance. I want to see exactly why.

The Burmese Harp, Kon Ichikawa (1956) — I don’t normally do well with Buddhist/monk films but hoping this film’s stature break me out of that cycle.

Cairo Station, Youseff Chahine (1958) — It was brought to my attention after Mark Cousins’ excellent The Film Odyssey. I needed an intro to Middle Eastern movies and this seemed mandatory.

Chan is Missing, Wayne Wang (1982) — Mandatory text for Asian American cinema. Wang’s Joy Luck Club didn’t mesh well with me despite its topic so hoping this one lands.

Chilsu and Mansu, Park Kwang Soo (1988) — Diving deeper into Korean cinema required some research. This was cited by a trusted blogger as special despite its topic.

Chronicles of the Year of Fire, Mohammed Lakder-Hamina (1973) — Palme d’Or winner with a less reputable standing. I’m curious why. Plus, a rare film that takes on such a heavy topic.

Claudine, John Berry (1974) — Nick Davis loves this movie and I’m curious as to why. I love these kind of stories and definitely this is in my wheelhouse.

Cleo from 5 to 7, Agnes Verda (1962) — Verda is a legendary female director part of the French New Wave. This is an announcement of her talent.

Come and See, Elem Klimov (1985) — Its placement in Sight and Sound made me curious but its stature among Russian film fans makes me want to watch this movie.

Contempt, Jean Luc Godard (1963) — I’ve gotten over my fear of Godard and now I’m excited to see what else he got. Bardot is a selling point.

Crimes and Misdemeanors, Woody Allen (1989) — I love Woody Allen and I just want to keep watching his greatest critical hits.

The Crowd, King Vidor (1928) — It’s a legendary film and I want to know why. Plain and simple.

Daughters of the Dust, Julie Dash (1991) — African American story with Toni Morrison-inflected drama directed by an African American woman? Rare and even rarer.

Day of Wrath, Carl Theodore Dreyer (1943) — Passion of Joan of Arc is still peak cinema to me, and that’s all thanks to Dreyer. I’m ready to explore his filmography more.

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, Cristian Puiu (2005) — Venerated when it came out, it’s time to bring myself to watch it.

Diary of a Country Priest, Robert Bresson (1951) — This is vital cinema if you’re a Catholic, apparently. Plus, Bresson is essential cinema.

Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Luis Bunuel (1971) — I’m a Bunuel fan so this should be a joy to watch.

Docks of New York, Josef von Sternberg (1928) — A silent film genius, according to many. The stills I’ve seen from Cousin’s series makes me want to watch this.

Dog Day Afternoon, Sidney Lumet (1975) — Al Pacino was a true legend during the 70s. By many accounts, this is his best performance.

Double Indemnity, Billy Wilder (1944) — I’m just damn bewildered by Wilder’s vast filmography. This sealed the deal for the rise of noir.

The Double Life of Veronique, Kryzstof Kieslowski (1991) — The Three Colors series is pure blissful cinema. Hoping this one lives up to those three masterworks.

Earth, Alexander Dovzhenko (1930) — Earth is legendary among Russian cinema fans. I need to find out why. Dovzhenko is as venerated as Eisenstein.

The End of Evangelion, Hideaki Anno & Kazuya Tsurumaki (1997) — This series was an awesome part of my childhood. I’d like to watch the whole thing from an adult perspective since I probably lost the deeper symbolism of the show.

The Goddess, Wu Yonggang (1934) — Cousins’ film says of how important this is to Chinese cinema. Let’s hope it’s good.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, Sergio Leone (1967) — Once Upon a Time in the West did nothing for me. I’m hoping this feels better.

Goodbye South, Goodbye, Hou Hsiao Hsien (1996) — I often find Hou’s cinema difficult to penetrate, but I keep trying because I never know if I’m going to fall in love (City of Sadness, Millennium Mambo) or be bored to tears (The Puppetmaster, Flight of the Red Balloon).

Goodfellas, Martin Scorsese (1991) — Scorsese is my type of director. This is standard fare but it’s well respected.

The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Pier Paolo Pasolini (1964) — Curious because of Pasolini’s stature but also because of its legendary status.

Grand Illusion, Jean Renoir (1937) — Renoir is legendary and after watching Rules of the Game, I have to see this one.

The Grapes of Wrath, John Ford (1940) — John Ford is classic American cinema and this book is important American literature. Hope they mix well together.

The Great Dictator, Charlie Chaplin (1940) — I love Chaplin and this one, his send up to Hitler, is the kind of film I look forward to.

Hara-kiri, Masaki Kobayashi (1963) — I love me some Samurai movies and this classic film has the stature to back it up.

Hard Boiled, John Woo (1992) — John Woo fan over here? Maybe! Hope this one is good.

Hearts and Minds, Peter Davis (1974) — The Vietnam War is a such a fascinating topic that any documentary that talks about it, gets automatic must-watch for me.

Heavenly Creatures, Peter Jackson (1994) — Jackson’s intro the world, along with one of my fave actresses, Kate Winslet, with interesting material, makes this film a must-watch.

Hiroshima Mon Amour, Alain Resnais (1959) — Resnais is a cornerstone of the French New Wave. Emmanuelle Riva was fucking amazing in Amour. Drama about Hiroshima? Sign me up!

The Holy Girl, Lucrecia Martel (2004) — Martel’s renown and the topic at hand coming from a non-western nation sounds intriguing to me.

The House is Black, Forogh Farrokhzad (1963) — Cousins’ histography says this put Iranian cinema on the map. Short documentary on lepers sold me.

How Green Was My Valley, John Ford (1941) — Best Picture winner that beat Citizen Kane. Makes me curious how good can this movie be if it beat that.

Hud, Paul Newman (1963) — Ritt’s movie Sounder featured a bona fide star performance from Cicely Tyson. This won Patricia Neal an Oscar and some say this Newman’s best performance. Would like to weigh in on that.

The Mourning Forest, Naomi Kawase (2006) — Kawase is the kind of director that nobody hears about even with the numerous awards she has won. At the same time, her film descriptions sound like a fit for my sensibilities.

Mulholland Drive, David Lynch (2001) — Legendary film from a legendary director from the previous decade. This is apparently a must-watch for all film enthusiasts.

The Music Room, Satyajit Ray (1958) — Ray is legendary and his name is based on his Apu Trilogy. I wanted to venture out of that to see what else he’s got.

My Night at Maud’s, Eric Rohmer (1969) — Rohmer’s name isn’t as well known as Godard or Truffaut but he is said to be just as important. This is my first trip to his oeuvre.

Naked Childhood, Maurice Pialat (1968) — Pialat has a reputation hard to resist. His debut film should be a wonderful introduction to his career.

The Naked Island, Kaneto Shindo (1960) — Its infamy intrigued me and its availability on the Criterion Collection sealed the deal.

The Night of the Hunter, Charles Loughton (1955) — Loughton’s one and only film received glorious praises from modern critics. Hoping to catch the fever as well.

Night of the Living Dead, George Romero(1968) — Zombie movies are just not my thing. In fact, most horror movies aren’t my thing. But this gave birth to those films so as far as I’m concerned it’s important viewing.

Nights of Cabiria, Frederico Fellini (1957) — Cousins gave this film a special treatment in his film. It seems like the most representative of Fellini’s work.

Ninotchka, Ernst Lubitsch (1938) — I’ve never seen a Garbo film and Lubitsch has a strong reputation. Let’s kill two birds with one stone.

North by Northwest, Alfred Hitchcock (1959) — At this point, what excuse can you give NOT to watch a Hitchcock movie? He’s genius.

A Nos Amours, Maurice Pialat (1982) — Let’s start with what’s available to view for Pialat. In this case, the story sounds intriguing.

Nosferatu, F.W. Murnau (1922) — This early silent classic has earned its way to legendary status. Murnau’s Sunrise was a beautiful film. Hoping this one has the same qualities.

Nostalghia, Andrei Tarkovsky (1983) — A Tarkovsky fan right here. This is his second to the last film and I think his first outside of Russia. The stunning images that I found need context.

Notorious, Alfred Hitchcock (1946) — Hitchcock again. But this time, with Ingrid Bergman. Some say this is her best performance and that’s exciting.

Now, Voyager, Irvin Rapper (1942) — Davis, Hepburn, Bergman are like the holy trinity of my pre-Meryl actress list. This is required viewing for Davis fans, or so I hear.

On the Waterfront, Elia Kazan (1954) — Kazan’s Oscar-winning status makes this important viewing for an Oscar nerd like me but Brando won his first Oscar for this. This makes me even more excited.

Only Angels Have Wings, Howard Hawks (1939) — Hawks is often underappreciated according to critics. This is often cited as his masterwork. Hope the hype is worth it.

Ordet, Carl Theodore Dreyer (1955) — Dreyer has few films and it’ll be worth watching most of them after watching The Passion of Joan of Arc. The religious angle of this film fits my interests.

Orlando, Sally Potter (1992) — An early Tilda work and one where she plays a fascinating character. Should be mouth-watering.

Out of the Past, Jacques Tournier (1947) — Legendary status of this film keeps me invested. Mitchum is a fascinating movie star since he’s not classically handsome.

Paisan, Roberto Rossellini (1946) — I’ve not seen a Rossellini movie yet and I think any film nerd needs to watch him, since he helped popularize Italian realism.

Shanghai Express, Josef von Sternberg (1932) — An important text in Asian American cinema, especially with the presence of Anna May Wong. Von Sternbeg + Dietrich makes it even more necessary viewing for me.

Sherlock Jr. Buster Keaton (1924) — I genuinely didn’t care for The General. I’m hoping that this one inspires me to like Buster Keaton.

The Shop Around the Corner, Ernst Lubitsch (1940) — Often said to be Lubitsch’s best film, I’m hoping that I like it! James Stewart was such a great movie star.

Syndromes and a Century, Apichatpong Weerasethakul (2007) — I was bored to tears by his Palme d’Or winner, but I never say never to Asian cinema (especially Southeast Asian! cinema), especially from someone as heralded as “Joe” .

Synecdoche, New York, Charlie Kauffman (2008) — From the man who brought you Eternal Sunshine comes this more puzzling ode to depression. I am intrigued.

Tabu, Miguel Gomes (2011) — Super acclaimed when it came out in 2011, I’m trying to catching what all the fuss was about.

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, Fritz Lang (1933) — Trying to fill the holes of my early cinema watching. I’m a fan of Lang’s work too.

Thelma & Louise, Ridley Scott (1991) — Brad Pitt’s debut is the cherry on top of a perfect actressy sundae.

They Shoot, Horses Don’t They?, Sydney Pollack (1969) — Gilmore Girls’s best episode (the dance marathon) was inspired by this movie. I just want to know what they know, you know?

The Thin Red Line, Terrence Malick (1998) — Malick never disappoints with his images (having avoided his work post-Tree of Life). Many say this is his greatest accomplishment.

Those Whom Death Refused, Flora Gomes (1990) — A rare cinematic landmark from Guinea-Bissau. That alone makes it mandatory viewing.

Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Pedro Almodovar (1988) — Have I mentioned how much I love Almodovar yet? He’s one of my first real auteur discoveries in high school and I can’t wait to watch this one.

Yeelen, Souleymane Cisse (1987) — Well-known outside of Tsotsi, this film seems like one of the few mainstream (relatively-speaking) African movies out there.

You Can Count on Me, Kenneth Lonergan (2000) — Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo are two amazing actors. This film has many admirers.

With that, I hope to watch all of these movies by the end of the year. Since I started in January and as of this writing, I’ve seen 76 movies on my list. I’m a little behind schedule but it’ll be easy to catch up. Hope to report the things I see here!